In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists are attempting to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The plan has good chances of success, since sweet potato is a staple of the region’s diet and agriculture, and the varieties currently grown contain little beta-carotene.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed?

A. The growing conditions required by the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region are conditions in which SPK004 can flourish.
B. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in color and texture, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
C. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
D. The varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region contain some important nutrients that are lacking in SPK004.
E. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do

Source GMAT SET1 verbal

A

don't see C as a contender; we are told that it has high levels of beta carotene, so it doesn't matter what other varieties have. The issue is whether the plant will grow.

My answer is also A.
I agree with gurpree07 regarding C.


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Option A is the best choice here. SPK004 offers more nutrition, and can be cultivated in the region.
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A is the only answer.

C is not at all a contender. Say, for e.g., there are other varieties that have more beta-carotene available in India. What is the use?
Also, its clearly given in the argument that the proposed potato has high levels of beta-carotene than those currently cultivated. So, no point in taking it for discussion.
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-Aravind Chembeti

OA is E. Refer to the link to see the explanation by Ron
http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/in- ... t5816.html

The passage is not "only talking about sweet potato. It is talking about variety ofsweet potatoes (SPK004 or any other).

The question to answer here is, if there are other varieties of sweet potato that are richer in beta-carotene. Then why people are not having that other variety.
& what is the guarantee that people who are not having 1 variety of sweet potato will have SPK004 (which is another variety of sweet potato).

Although I know OA is A. But, if C is not true how will the above statement ensure the plan will succeed.

Moreover, the statement in A is implied from the below statement in the passage.

since sweet potato is a staple of the region’s diet and agriculture